Would the ship wait for u?

[mrandmrsdd]

I know if you book shore excursion with HAL, the ship will wait for your return before to sail.

 

I was wondering if you book HAL air package ,if the ship wil also wait for you if the plane is late, delayed or cancelled??? given HAL chose your air travel? Any experience, please share.

 

Thanks

[maxout]

I know if you book shore excursion with HAL, the ship will wait for your return before to sail.

 

I was wondering if you book HAL air package ,if the ship wil also wait for you if the plane is late, delayed or cancelled??? given HAL chose your air travel? Any experience, please share.

 

Thanks

 

They may delay departure for awhile, especially if there are multiple pax on the flight but if the delay would be too long they would find a way get you to the next port to meet the ship. I guess that would be problematic for a TA :eek:

[ASIWISH]

Guests who book air travel with Holland America’s convenient Air Program enjoy more options, more flexibility, and competitive costs on air travel purchases. With the Holland America Line Air plan, you will arrive in time for your cruise, or we will assist you forward to meet your ship in the next port.

 

Benefits include:

 

24/7 availability of Holland America Line staff able to assist you from anywhere in the world

In case a delayed flight causes you to miss your departure:

Getting you to or from your cruise" Assurance of Forward Carriage

We cover the cost of Air, Hotel and Transfers

We provide Missed Ship day compensation

Competitive pricing, from most major domestic and international airlines:

Consistently lower fares for open jaw and one-way trips

Affordable upgrades to Business or First Class when available

More classes of service on international routes

Competitive group pricing for customized itineraries

Relaxed rules with greater flexibility than online instant purchase requirements:

Deposit on the booking is all that's required to confirm the air

Final payment not due until 75-days (most cruises) prior to sailing when cruise booking final payment is due

Reduced change and cancel fees compared to most online travel purchases

[English_in_Spain]

I know if you book shore excursion with HAL, the ship will wait for your return before to sail.

 

I was wondering if you book HAL air package ,if the ship wil also wait for you if the plane is late, delayed or cancelled??? given HAL chose your air travel? Any experience, please share.

 

Thanks

 

my bold

 

It is not guaranteed that the ship will wait for you if you are on a ship's excursion. The Captain does not always have a choice. The port authorities can insist the ship leaves or the weather and/or tides may make it essential.

 

The advantage of being on a ship's tour is that they know where you are and how late you are likely to be. If they cannot wait they will make arrangements for you to either catch up with the ship at a later port or to get you home.

 

If you are on a DIY or private tour the ship will not wait.

[serendipity1499]

Guests who book air travel with Holland America’s convenient Air Program enjoy more options, more flexibility, and competitive costs on air travel purchases. With the Holland America Line Air plan, you will arrive in time for your cruise, or we will assist you forward to meet your ship in the next port.

 

Benefits include:

 

24/7 availability of Holland America Line staff able to assist you from anywhere in the world

In case a delayed flight causes you to miss your departure:

Getting you to or from your cruise" Assurance of Forward Carriage

We cover the cost of Air, Hotel and Transfers

We provide Missed Ship day compensation

Competitive pricing, from most major domestic and international airlines:

Consistently lower fares for open jaw and one-way trips

Affordable upgrades to Business or First Class when available

More classes of service on international routes

Competitive group pricing for customized itineraries

Relaxed rules with greater flexibility than online instant purchase requirements:

Deposit on the booking is all that's required to confirm the air

Final payment not due until 75-days (most cruises) prior to sailing when cruise booking final payment is due

Reduced change and cancel fees compared to most online travel purchases

 

Can you read both the orange & the grey writing? I actually have a difficult time reading both & my eyes are not bad..

[jtl513]

Can you read both the orange & the grey writing? I actually have a difficult time reading both & my eyes are not bad..

I had trouble too. Dragging your cursor over it to highlight it to white-on-blue makes it easier.

[sapper1]

I know if you book shore excursion with HAL, the ship will wait for your return before to sail.

 

I was wondering if you book HAL air package ,if the ship wil also wait for you if the plane is late, delayed or cancelled??? given HAL chose your air travel? Any experience, please share.

 

Thanks

You can book cruiseair and still arrive one or two days prior to your cruise. Most experienced cruisers would never think of arriving the same day as there are just too many variables. Given that you have to be onboard at 3:30 for a 5:30 sailing it makes sense to arrive a day early.

 

On our last flight to Fort Lauderdale we were delayed for several hours in Toronto as the plane had mechanical problems and a substitute plane had to be prepared and brought to the gate. Then there were thunderstorms over Florida and the pilot had to make a wide detour out into the Gulf of Mexico and circle around Florida and approach Fort Lauderdale from the Atlantic side. That consumed a lot of extra time. If that happened to someone in a time crunch they would be out of luck.

 

We have actually started arriving three days prior to a cruise to allow for lost luggage to catch up, strandings, labour disputes, mechanical problems, storms. I know that if you are not retired you would have a problem arriving two or three days early, but one day early should be the bare minimum that you would aim for.

If I were honest I would say that one of the three days is to allow for shopping but I have to be careful who I admit that to.;)

[ellieanne]

On my cruises from Boston, the ship has not waited longer than half an hour for anyone for any reason -- delayed shore excursions or flights.

 

From Quebec and Ft. Lauderdale, departure has been delayed as long as 4 hours waiting for passengers coming from the airport.

 

From Stockholm, there was a discussion of waiting for an extra hour for a delayed passenger, but it turned out there was no need as the passenger in question was boarding as the announcement was being made.

 

I have never been delayed for flights in any other port. And the ship will sometimes wait for you if you are not on a ship-purchased shore excursion. That happened several times on cruises I was on -- in Boston (but never longer than half an hour), Charleston (for a passenger whose electric wheelchair's battery died while she was exploring the city), and in Hawaii (at nearly every port). I would never risk being late on a self-guided tour at a port, but I know it's not true that the ship will never wait for passengers on personal tours.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have been in Ft Lauderdale when a couple of captains announced that we were waiting a few minutes for a few late passengers -- they were coming from the airport.

In Seattle we left as we could not wait a couple of hours for delayed planes.

So there is no guarantee that the ship will wait for you.

Why not fly in a day or two early and avoid the worry? You can do that even with HAL's planes.

[epixx]

Read the cruise contract:

 

"Our relationship with airlines is that of an independent travel agent. We assume no liability for any acts or omissions of any airline including, without limitation, those involving cancellation of flights, schedule changes, re-routings, damage to or delay or loss of baggage, flight delays, equipment failures, accidents, pilot or other staff shortages, overbooking or computer errors. Accordingly, you will not have any right to claim or recover against us as a consequence of any act or omission of any airline. The liabilities and obligations of an airline to you, and your rights against an airline, are subject to any and all terms and conditions of the airline's ticket and tariffs and any and all governmental laws and regulations bearing upon or otherwise relating to such rights, liabilities and obligations."

 

Based on the cruise contract, HAL has no obligation to hold the ship for a few late passengers. Purchasing HAL's airfare has no additional legal benefit over purchasing airfare from an "independent travel agent," or purchasing airfare directly from the airline.

[Harry1954]

Based on the cruise contract, HAL has no obligation to hold the ship for a few late passengers. Purchasing HAL's airfare has no additional legal benefit over purchasing airfare from an "independent travel agent," or purchasing airfare directly from the airline.

 

This is very true; however, consider that one department of HAL is moving the ship while another department is trying to help you catch up. Since they both work for same master, seems to me, now I am from the South - so I may think a little slower - that you stand a better chance of alleviating the stress that will ensue in any event.

 

Our objective is to minimize stress - we have two contracts - one with HAL to get us to the ship - the other with HAL to give us a good trip. Both have intersecting goals.

 

Not so with independent bookings.

 

 

harry

[mamaofami]

We always fly in a day or two early to avoid the stress of missing the ship.

[Himself]

We always fly in a day or two early to avoid the stress of missing the ship.

 

I have done this for a long time. That is how I fell in love with Ft. Lauderdale.

[cruisemom42]

I suggest you do some reading on these boards (an also look at the Cruise Air board or better yet, post your question there too) regarding exactly what kind of "help" the cruise lines will provide when you take their air and something goes awry.

 

I've read many such stories in my 6 years on Cruise Critic -- the common thread seems to be that most people have an EXPECTATION that the cruise line will do more to assist them, should they miss the ship, than is borne out in reality.

 

If your flight is cancelled or a connection missed, it's my understanding that you have to talk directly to the airline, the cruise line will not do the rescheduling. When they say "assistance", such seems to be limited to advising you what the next port is and what airport you need to shoot for when you re-book.

 

Also be aware that many cruise lines use consolidator tickets, which is a fancy way of saying that these are special, low-fare tickets with many, many restrictions, including a limited ability to reschedule you onto other flights (unless they have seats available for this class of ticket). So you may find yourself stranded at an airport, with flights leaving for your destination, but be frustratingly unable to get a seat on one of them.

 

Ultimately, I'm sure the cruise line will reimburse you for certain expenses. But don't expect them to bend over backwards to help you when you're enroute. You're more or less on your own.

 

Even if you do decide to book air with the cruise line, I highly suggest that you ask very specific questions in advance regarding these issues and try to get some written response that you can fall back on if things don't go as planned.

[Randyk47]

We've never missed a ship but coming close once was one too many times and ever since then we fly in at least the day before. I will say that the one time we flew in the day of the cruise it was HAL provided air and they worked with us the whole day getting us into Ft Lauderdale in time for the sailing. I give them props for that and it wasn't their fault we first got caught in a weather delay and then a broken plane. We leave tomorrow for our cruise out of Barcelona....two days early. :)

[cmdchiefthom]

I know if you book shore excursion with HAL, the ship will wait for your return before to sail.

 

I was wondering if you book HAL air package ,if the ship wil also wait for you if the plane is late, delayed or cancelled??? given HAL chose your air travel? Any experience, please share.

 

Thanks

 

Several years ago, aboard the Zuiderdam, the Captain made an annoucement prior just to 5:00 PM that the departure would be delayed because of an airline delay at FLL. I recall waiting about half an hour before the gangway retracted.;)

[WNYCRUISER]

Consider many factors before deciding about air arrangements. Time of year (winter delays), time of flight as it relates to ship departure, and also the itinerary. For example, on an upcoming cruise of nine days, there are two sea days at the beginning of the cruise. While HAL will assist you in meeting up with the ship at the next port, the next port could be several days off, and you will be put up in a hotel at the departure port, or the next port of call. I would suppose if it were a Trans Atlantic crossing for example, you would be completely out of luck.

 

We had the unfortunate experience of missing a cruise departure due to airline delays. (Someone else made the arrangements) While we were fortunate enough to meet up with the ship the following day, we did so with no luggage for at least another full day. We learned from that to never fly in the same day as departure.

[cruz chic]

If I were honest I would say that one of the three days is to allow for shopping but I have to be careful who I admit that to.;)

This must be part of the reason that we get along so well:D;).

[Hlitner]

Like many HA passengers we do an awful lot of cruising (over 75 days a year) and would never consider flying-in to a port the day of a cruise. It just makes no sense for several reason. 1. You are really at the mercy of the airlines...and they have no mercy! 2. If your luggage gets mis-routed by the airline there will be no chance of it catching-up to your before your cruise. 3. Stress! Starting a cruise vacation with the anxiety of worrying about getting to the port on time is just not worth it! 4. Flying in the day before gives the ability to relax, enjoy a nice dinner the night before your cruise, have a relaxed morning in your hotel before you ride over to the port, etc.

 

And an interesting benefit is that it often cost very little extra to come in the day before. For many ports there are multiple hotels/motels that will provide free transfers from the airport to hotel and hotel to port. Saving money on those transfers can pay for part of your pre cruise hotel.

 

As to whether to use the cruise line air or do your own...we think its wise to explore the cost of both options on each cruise. Many cruise lines do not give you the ability to choose your airlines or flights (without paying extra) and this can mean getting multi-stop flights, bad connections, etc. Also keep in mind that luggage can get expensive with some airlines...but Southwest still allows 2 pieces of free luggage and Jetblue allows 1 piece of checked luggage. The cruise lines do not generally work with either of these airlines! In many cases it can make sense to drive a couple of hours to get to a non-stop Southwest flight! As to somebody else making arrangements, forty plus years of extensive travel (domestic and international) has taught us to handle our own arrangements!

 

Here is a tale of woe. 2 Years ago we took a long cruise on the Prinsendam. The ship stopped in NYC on the prior cruise,,, then cruised down to Ft Lauderdale, and then was off to Europe for over 40 days. We made our own cruise arrangements (on line) and joined the ship in NYC (not to far from our home). The extra days from NYC to Ft Lauderdale cost us less then $50 extra for the cruise. We met others on the ship who lived in NYC (one couple within site of the Manhattan port) who flew to Ft Lauderdale to catch the ship because their travel agents were not aware they could join the ship in NYC! Go figure.

 

Hank

[ASIWISH]

Can you read both the orange & the grey writing? I actually have a difficult time reading both & my eyes are not bad..

 

I made the irrelevant portions of the policy grey, so it would draw attention to the parts that the OP was looking for... sorry.

[ASIWISH]

We always fly in a day or two early to avoid the stress of missing the ship.

 

We've been coming in two days early... to REALLY de-stress!!!!

[sail7seas]

We've done over 80 cruises and only flew to port same day twice. If we aren't saililng from our 'home port', we always fly in at least two days prior. It gives us the peace of mind in terms of arriving at the ship but also DH starts to unwind from his stressful business life prior to boarding. We love those pre cruise days and fully enjoy them. We've made friends in ports we sail from often and enjoy seeing them/dining with them etc

 

And yes, I sometimes get DH to do a bit of shopping. :)

[sail7seas]

I made the irrelevant portions of the policy grey, so it would draw attention to the parts that the OP was looking for... sorry.

 

 

The 'drag the mouse' trick John shared works great.

Thanks, John.

 

Thanks, ASIWISH, for quoting HAL's policy. :)

 

[itravelalot]

We always fly in a day or two early to avoid the stress of missing the ship.

 

Us too... Always! I wouldn't enjoy the stress if we were running late and I am positive my husband would not enjoy the nagging...lol I find it suits us much better to arrive the afternoon of the day before sailing...:)

[iancal]

The words 'assist you..' are weasel words. They can mean anything that the crusie line wants them to mean. Not all cruise air tickets are consolidator tickets-but a good portion are. They are at the bottom of any airline's priority list or refundable/change/ list. They can seldom be interchanged to another carrier. Most cruise lines are the same when it comes to cruise air.

 

If you combine the weasel words 'assist' with a consolidator ticket, and then add in probems when many flights are backed up-weather, high volume holiday traffic, the result is a very unhappy situation.

 

We have been stuck twice. Fortunately we were not on cruise air or consolidator tickets. In our two cases, American Airlines and Uniited respectively got us on our way. In the case of American, they placed us on a competitor's flight. In both cases we dealt directly with the airlines on their 1800 line. Much faster than lining up at the airport booth, calling a TA, or calling the cruise line (they may be just as backed up in their call center). The service was excellent in both instances-nothwithstanding the 45 minute wait to speak to an agent (understandable when many flights get delayed/cancelled).

 

Nothing wrong with cruise air or consolidator tickets but you need to know what the ticket restrictions are before you leave otherwise you may find out the hard way. The cruise line certainly won't tell you about the restrictions, and your TA probably won't either. Flying in the same day, with a connection, and on a consolidator cruise air ticket can be a recipe for disaster and an awful way to start a vacation.

 

We usually go at least a day early, often much earlier as we combine land and cruise vacations. That so called blanket called cruise air is not always as warm and cozy as the cruise lines make it out to be.